Dispensing apparatus



May 20, 1924; 4 1,494,756

R. O. NITSC SHE DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 26. 1023 s sh ets -sheet i May 2O 1924.

R. O."NITSCHE DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 26 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 am/1m Jig.

Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED STATES RICHARD O. NITSCHE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application fiIed May 26, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD O. NrrsoHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing Apparatus, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in dispensing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus of this general character under check control and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus especially designed and adapted for use in connection with sani tary sheets for closet'seats and the like It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character embodying a normally closed delivery opening and a normally inoperative feeding means together with a mechanism under check control for opening the discharging opening and render the feeding means operative.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine of this general character comprising a rotatable feeding member having associated therewith a brake for normally holding said member against rotation and a driving means for the member comprising two normally separated wheels together with means under check control for releasing the brake and bringing the wheels into working engagement one with the other, said brake and wheels returning to their normal positions upon predetermined rotation of the member.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved dispensing apparatus whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advan- Serial No. 641,711.

apparatus as herein disclosed, the front door for the casing or housing being shown in fragment and in open position;

Figure 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of the strucview in plan partly in section and partly in elevation" illustrating the plunger and the parts concomitant thereto; T

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating in detail the mounting of the cone;

Figure 9 is a view in top plan of the check plunger unapplied.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a cabinet of desired configuration and dimensions and which is provided with a swinging front door 1 adapted to be held in closed position in any suitable manner as indicated at 2 in Figure 3. The

top of thecabinet C is also provided witha swinging door 4. The rear wall 5 ofthe cabinet C is provided with the spaced brackets 6 which provide a mounting for a roll B, said roll in the present instance consisting of a strip of sanitary sheets for covering closet seats, said strip being divided at regular intervals by the perforations 7 whereby a single sheet, preferably of the design shown in Figure 4 may be detached for use.' As comprised in the roll, the strip is folded transversely substantially at its longitudinal center as indicated in Figures?) and 6 of the accompanying drawings. The strip A is continued from the roll and passes over a drum D rotatably supported within the cabinet C. The strip A also passes under a tensioning roller T whereby normally the strip A is effectively clamped to the drum D and in a manner resulting in the desired feeding movement of the strip A upon requisite rotation of the drum D.

The tensioning roller iT is rotatably supported by the arms 8 having sliding engagement with the bracket 9 and bar 10. The bar 10 is secured to the opposite sidewalls of the cabinet C to the top of the cabinet while one end of the bracket 9 is secured to said bar 10 and at itsoppositeend portion to a side of the cabinet C as isclearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. The upper end portions a of the arms 8 are reduced and are slidably disposed through the bar 10 and interposed between the bar lOand the shoulders 6, provided by the reduced portions a, arethe expansible members 11" herein disclosed as coiled springs encircling saidreduced portions a. These members or springs 11 serve to constantly urge the tensioning roller T toward the drumD yetp'ermit the same to readily move in a directiontherefrom and. particularly when pen is imposed upon the strip Theupper extremities of the arms 8 or more particularly the reduced portions a. thereof-are connected by the rod '12 affording a handle member whereby the rollerT may be manually moved away" from the drum vD when required and partimilarly when initially assembling the strip A.

The strip" as moved or fed forwardly of the drumiD is adapted topass out through an opening is provided with the door 1 and which 0pening,..is normally closed by the fiat "door l5'herein disclosed as having swinging movement in a vertical'direction.

Each end portion 'of the drum D and more particularly the inner end portion thereof 2 is defined by an outstanding continuous annular flange 16 and associated with the'inner' fiangelti is a brake arm 17, said arm being'carried by an outstanding pin 18 disposed througha slot 19 provided in a wall of a vertically disposed sleeve or cylinder 20. The cylinderv 20 as herein disclosed is mounted upon a cross member 21 substantially bridging the space and supported by the sidewalls of the cabinet C.

The inner end portion of the pin 18! is connected toa block 22 freely moving with in the sleeve or cylinder 20 and which block is constantly urged upwardly by the expansible member 23 interposed between the inner end of the block 22 and the sleeve or cylinder 20. This expansible member 28 is herein disclosed as a coiled spring and serves to constantly urge the brake arm 17 in working engagement with the coacting flange 16 and maintain such engagement whereby the drum D is normally held against rotation. The block 22is provided with an upstanding plunger 24 which extends above the cylinder or sleeve 20 andwhi'ch is provided with a reduced extremity 25 normally engaging within an annular flange 26 produced in thegperiphery of the hub 27 of a friction cone 2 8. This friction shaft.

interposed between the outer or free end of the hub 27 and the adjacent end of the drum D is an expansible member 30 herein disclosed as a coiled spring encircling thev shaft 29, said member or spring 30 serving,

when the plunger 24 is free of the hub 27, to force the. cone 28 outwardly but when the.

reduced extremity of the plunger 24 is engaged within the annular groove 26, the.

cone 28 is held against such movement.

The upper portion of the sleeve or cylinder 20 at a desired point directly abovev the pin 18 is provided with an outstanding stationary pin 31. Slidably. dis osed through, thexside wall of the, cabinet immediately adjacent to the sleeve or cylinder 20 is a check plunger 32 having its inner,

endprovided with a bifurcated. head 33 the kerf of which normally underlies the lower or discharge end of a coin chute34. The coin chute 34 extends from the'upper portion of the cabinet C and leads from a stop slot produced in a wall of said'cabinet. The

rod 3 2 or more particularly the head 33 thereof occupiesa position between the pins 18 and 31 so that when a check such as;& penny or other coin-of desired denomination is received withinthe kerf of the head 33 passingthrough the chute '34, inward movement of the plunger 32 will force said check or coin between the pins 31 and 18. Normally the pins 18 and 31 arespaced apart a distance less thanthe diameter of the check so that as the check is passed between said pins the lower pin 18 will beforced downwardly resulting in the brake arm 17 being released from the drum D and the plunger 24 being released {rom -the hub 27. I

lmmediatelyupon release of the plunger 2%. from the hub 27 the expansible member or spring 30 will force the cone 28 outwardly with the inner portion of the hub resting upon the outer end of the plunger 24- whereby the plunger 24 is held against return within the groove 26'until-the-disc 28 is again moved inwardly whereby the disc 28 is free to rotate to impart the requisite feeding rotation to the drum D.

\Vhen the disc. 28 is forced" outwardly of the member or spring '30 it is broughtl into driven engagement with the driving friction gear 35 'car1'ried hy' a shaft 36 extending exteriorly ot the cabinet C through the adjacentside walll The extended portion of'the shaft 36- has engaged therewith an operating crank or handle 37 whereby the gear 35 is manually operated, the extent of movement of the gear being regulated or controlled by the stop pins 38 with which the handle member or crank 37 contacts.

The extent of movement or rotation of the gear 35 is sufficient to advance the strip A sufficiently to effect the desired delivery or discharge of a single sheet of the strip A. As before stated the strip A is delivered through the opening 14 and in order to effect the desired opening movement of the door 15 a rod 39 is operatively engaged therewith as at 40, said rod 39 extending over the shaft 29 and terminating in a downwardly offset portion 41 operatively engaged with a rock arm 42 carried by the inner end portion of the shaft 36 so that upon movement of the shaft 36 in one direction the door 15' is moved into open position while upon reverse movement of said shaft 36 the door is closed. The door 15 is normally maintained closed by a retractible spring 43 secured at one end portion to the rock arm 42 and its opposite end portion is operatively engaged with the rear wall 5 of the cabinet C or more particularly to a block 44 secured to said wall 5. The block 44 provides a mounting for a bracket 45 providing a bearing for the inserted portion of the shaft 36,

said bracket 45 comprising spaced parallel arms between which is positioned the driving disc Wheel 35.

Carried by the shaft 36 between the bracket 45 and the adjacent side wall of the cabinet C is a second rock arm 46 in desired angular relation to the rock arm 42. Operatively engaged with the rock arm 46 is a link 47 also operatively engaged with an actuating member. 48. This actuating member 48 comprises spaced parallel arms of desired length arranged above and below the shaft 29, the rear portions 48 of said arms being of sufficient width to contact with the adjacent end portion of the outer hub extension 27 of the disc 28 upon movement of the shaft 36 in one direction to force the disc 28 out of engagement with the wheel 35 and also to position the groove 26 of the hub 27 to receive the plunger 24 whereby the brake arm 17 will return into working engagement with its coacting flange 16 and the disc 28 will be held in an inoperative position until a second check is forced between the pins 18 and 31. It is to be understood that the portions 48 of the actuator 48 are not brought into action until after the strip A has been fed or moved to the desired extent.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operatvd, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement andformation of the. several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim a 1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a feeding drum, a shaft therefor, a driven member mounted upon the shaft for rotation therewith but having independent movement lengthwise of the shaft, a. driving member, means for constantly urging the driven member toward the driving member, said driven member being provided with a hub having a peripheral groove, a spring pressed plunger engaging within the groove of the hub of the driven memben when said driven member is in an inoperative position, andcheck controlled means for releasing said' plunger from the hub.

' 2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a feeding drum, a shaft there for, a driven member mounted upon the shaft for rotation therewith but having independent movement lengthwise of the shaft, a driving member, means for constantly urging the driven member toward the driving member, said d riven member being .provided with a hub having a peripheralgroove, a spring pressed plunger engaging within the groove of the hub of the driven memberwhen said driven member is in an inoperative position, check controlled means for releasing said plunger from the hub, and means for constantly urging the plunger toward the hub.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a feeding drum, a shaft therefor, a driven member mounted upon theshaft for rotation therewith but having independent movement lengthwise of the shaft, a

driving member, means for constantly urging the driven member toward the driving member, said driven member being provided with a hub having a peripheral groove, a spring pressed plunger engaging within the groove of the hub of the driven member when said driven member is in an inoperative position, check controlled-means for releasing said plunger from the hub,.means for constantly urging the plunger toward the hub, and means operating automatically upon predetermined rotation of the driving member for moving the driven member out of engagement with the driving member a distance to permit the plunger to turn within the groove of the hub of the driven member.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a feeding drum, a shaft therefor, a driven member mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith but having independent movement lengthwise of the shaft, a drivingm member, meansfor-constantly urging :the dnven member toward theadrivlng membenm means for holding the driven member "fi'ee' of the driving membem-means under check control for :releasing the driven"anemben;v manual meanstfor moving the drivmgmem her in one direction, and automaticzmeans for movingthe same in the opposite direcf tion.

5. An apparatus of the class described com-prismg a cabinet havlng a delivery open:

ing, a door normally closing said opening,

a feed drum positioned Within the cabinet adjacent to said opening and operating to' discharge the article to be delivered through i said opening, and check col'ltrolled means"- for operatingthe d rum and moving thBdOOl into open 'p'ositionw- 6. Anapparatns' 'of the class desei-ibed comprising a cabinet having a: delivery opening a door normally: closing said opening, a

a feedr-drnm positioned withinthe cabinet ad ac'ent"to said opening and opera-ting to ment of the zdrumw Intestimony whereof I hereunto" affix my signature.

RIGHARD1O;NITSCHE 

